The Torch's Passing
by Arya Rift
Summary: With Zootopia's on the way to its debut, a disturbing news hit the studio as well as our Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. Cover image edited by Arya Rift. All original images belong to their respective owners.
****Zootopia-Robin Hood Crossover:****

 ** **The Torch's Passing  
****

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Disney animation crew is preparing for final adjustments for their about-to-be-in-cinemas-soon project, Zootopia. All of them without exception are busy checking their own field and work in the movie. Some are even watching the movie from the start to the end over and over, looking for animation errors they might have missed, screwed audio, any mistake they can find. They might have done numerable decent movie projects done and they got their best crew, but they still can't afford to miss animation or script mistakes. There are small mistakes and there are big ones, but all of them matter. They will try to make their movies as perfect as they could, even though it's more than obvious that nothing is perfect and liked by everyone.

The animators are reviewing their works, trying to develop better model-making and animation. The script-makers are checking the movie scripts for the thousandth time. The directors are reviewing the rendered scenes and their quality. There were character concepts on the animators' board, showing designs of Zootopia characters from the earliest concept to the final one with the most notable design being put there is a poster of Zootopia with Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps posing with their arms crossed while looking at each other.

On the very board, the very board that has been used over and over for Disney's previous works - Be it movie projects, short movies, series cartoons, and sort - a flash of light is seen as we pass through it to other dimension.

It is a vast and colorful space, as vast as the universe and as colorful as the rainbow in the daylight. And it is not empty. There are figures there. A lot of them actually. Some are easily recognizable like Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Goofy. There are also figures like Aladdin, Simba, and Baymax there, all doing their own business whether it's picking on each other, doing something together, or simply having a conversation.

On one corner of the space, we can see more figures. Two to be exact. One of them is a red furred fox wearing a Hawaiian shirt and brown slacks while the other is a grey rabbit wearing blue shirt, darker pants, and kevlar vest with her Zootopia Police Department badge put onto it. They look happy, watching the animation crew going back and forth before them, seeing how much hard work they are putting into the movie they're in.

Judy is grinning ear to ear. A mix of nervousness and happiness and also excitement are seen in her round face. Even her ears are sent straight up. "Ohhh. It's not long before the day comes, isn't it?" she said excitedly at Nick, who is, like his earliest concepts all the way to the final ones, retaining his half-closed eyes that look annoying when combined with raised eyebrows and that sly smile of his.

Nick snickers. Maybe he doesn't look like it, but inside, he is as excited as Judy but he keeps it for himself. He snaps a finger before crossing his arms. "It's January the 14th, Carrots, only 51 days left 'till the general release," he says with a hint of pride in his voice. "I'm expecting our movie to be a booming one. I hope our theme song won't rip as many people's ears as Disney's last booming song," he continues while putting a paw on his chin.

Judy immediately frowns at Nick and immediately punches his shoulder, making him flinch two steps farther from her. "If you are referring to 'Let It Go', I'll punch you harder that the next thing you know is you being replaced by Clawhauser or someone else for the movie," she scowls, not liking even a bit of Nick's attitude.

"Who? Like, Robin Hood? He might be a fox, my predecessor, and a good friend, but he won't take my role," he stated, irritating Judy who is cocking her curved brows.

But then she sighs. "Look, I know they made you a somewhat unreachable character but seriously, Nick, you should learn to appreciate people's work." She raises both paws, each pointing to her and Nick.

The fox grins apologetically as Judy put both of her paws to her hips while her piercing violet eyes dig their effect in him. "Alright, sorry," he put his paws up for mercy. "I was just kidding. But honestly, I really think 'Try Everything' is more catchier than 'Let It Go'."

Judy rolls her eyes. "Yeah, right," she says dismissively, returning her sight to the studio.

It is a pleasant afternoon. Even though they're busy as always, they are actually enjoying themselves in their work. But the crowded studio immediately falls silent as the door slants open, from it emerges a man. From his frowned face we can assume that he comes with bad news riding on his mind.

The man approached the director straight up. "What's up?" Asks the director, much to say he is quite surprised to see someone just barged in without signs of good news.

"Brian Bedford has passed away," he says, the crew gradually shifted their attention to him. "Yesterday, in Santa Barbara."

Everyone's smile slowly disappears. Some of them continues working but in eerie silence. The director issues an order to continue working while himself sits on a chair, processing the news. "After two years in war, he has finally been defeated . . ." he says softly.

Back in the space behind the board, everyone stopped moving. The bright blue sky stops sparkling, the water current and fountains stop streaming, every figure there slows down before falling into a complete stop.

Judy panics inside not knowing what happened. She glances at Nick and found that the fox has his eyes wide open. "N-Nick?" Before she can say more, Nick runs of. Without any other choice, she followed him, passing San Fransokyo, Pride Lands, Beast's Castle, and many more before stopping before the Sherwood Forest, now completely fades in color.

Judy stops to catch her breath as Nick also stops. "Sherwood Forest?" she says between her breaths. "What happened to it?"

Nick don't hesitate to come inside, to which Judy quickly follows. Nick's red fur and green Hawaiian shirt make him stands out among the gray scale forest. He quickly glances around, looking for something that Judy doesn't know the heck what. All around them is gray, all gray scale. All but one: Robin Hood himself.

Judy staggered while Nick slowly approaches the fox. He doesn't get any closer more when he see what Robin is holding on to. It is Marian, and she is losing her color and slowly fading away. Marian, despite her body starting to fade away, notices Nick and Judy. She smiles gently before reminding Robin that she will be waiting for him.

As she fades, the entire forest fades along with her in a curtain of light, leaving Judy, Nick, and Robin alone in the blank space. "Robin . . ." From the back, he seems crying, a tear drops from his cheek is all Nick can see.

"Well!" Robin exclaims suddenly before turning his sight to Nick. "Looks like my time is up." He puts his usual friendly smile as he speak.

Nick goes silence for a few moments before speaking. "I'm going to miss you." He said, grinning slightly, but he can't hide a hint of sadness in his eyes. Judy noticed that but just stand there, not wanting to destroy their moment.

Robin pulls down his hat and approaches Nick. "What are you talking about? Me and the guys will always be in your heart. No need to miss me." He cocks a grin as he come face to face with Nick, paws on hips. Nick falls silent again. "Look, my Robin Hood is an old thing, people already bored with it," he says, rising a paw. "But your Zootopia. It's Robin Hood's successor. You will be famous and you know it."

Nick chuckled. "I know it, alright."

"Then keep your spirit up! You'll need that when the world watches you," Robin says, putting a paw on Nick's shoulder.

Nick closed his eyes as he grins. "No need to worry about me," he says as he put a paw to Robin's shoulder. "I promise, I'll make sure they remember Robin Hood when they watch Zootopia," he says, determinedly. When Robin responded with a small laugh, Nick wants to say more but is silenced when Robin put his hat on Nick, smiling in joy as he does. "I won't fail you," Nick adds.

The moment Nick said that, the hat suddenly transformed into 3D style. Nick doesn't notice, but Robin just chuckled when he see that. "I know you won't," he says before embracing his successor and pats his back, while Nick hugs back, Robin notices Judy back there, looking at the goodbye moment sadly. Robin smiles at her, to which she responds with a small smile out. "It's your turn." He says to Nick as he releases his hug and holds both of Nick's shoulders. "I'll leave everything to you." That one sentence send Nick in verge of tears as Robin released his hold and turned his back. "Now if you excuse me, I have to go."

Robin starts to walk off to the endless space, away from Nick and Judy. The farther he walks, the emptier Nick's heart fells. They are best friends already, although Nick has just been created while Robin is an old story, they always feel each other as an irreplaceable friend. Sure Nick and Robin are from different movies all out, but they are successor and predecessor, respectively, and nothing can break or bend that very bond.

Nick pulls Robin's hat down, and just realizes that it transforms into 3D. In that very moment, Nick cries silently, using the hat to cover his face. Judy approaches from behind and hugs him. Judy takes a glance at Robin, who says a chain of words that is immediately agreed by Judy. The fox then smiles one last time before fading in a ray of light. In that very ray of light, Judy see Marian, Little John, and the others, waiting for Robin as he fades away.

Judy kneels as Nick fell to his knees. "Don't worry, Robin Hood. I'll take care of him."

Outside the board, in the studio, the director glanced to the board. "The torch has been passed."

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 **Cover image edited by Arya Rift. Each original images belonged to their respective owners. Most of the things mentioned here is my own thoughts alone so if you disagree and you want to review, at least use good language.  
**

 **I've recently know that Robin Hood's VA passed away back at January the 13th 2016. In that very moment, I was scrolling my way down on DeviantArt when I found a fan art of Robin and Nick together. With Robin saying "Your turn" to Nick. Suddenly out of thin air, this idea came in and I couldn't get it outta my head.**

 **I really like the concept of Robin passing the torch to Nick and the passing of Robin's VA is like meaning that Robin's time is up and it's up to him to entrust the rest to Nick.  
**


End file.
